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Where are the alkali metals?
The elements in group 1, on the left of the periodic table,
are called the alkali metals.
lithium Li
sodium Na
potassium K
rubidium Rb
caesium Cs
francium Fr

These metals are all very reactive and are rarely found in
nature in their elemental form.

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What are the alkali metals?

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Why are they called the alkali metals?
The alkali metals are so
reactive that, as elements,
they have to be stored in
oil. This stops them reacting
with oxygen in the air.
The alkali metals are unlike
most other metals, which
are usually hard and dense.
Alkali metals are soft enough to be cut with a knife, and the
most common alkali metals, lithium, sodium and potassium,
all float on water.
The elements in group 1 also react with water and form
alkaline compounds. This is why they are called alkali metals.

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What is the electron structure of alkali metals?

The alkali metals all have one electron in their outer shell.
This means that:
lithium
They are found in group 1 2,1
of the periodic table.
They have similar
physical and chemical sodium
properties. 2,8,1

They can readily lose

the outer shell electron
to form positive ions potassium
with a +1 charge and a 2,8,8,1
full outer shell.

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How do you identify alkali metals?

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What are the properties of the alkali metals?

The characteristic properties of the alkali metals are:

They are soft and can be cut by a knife.
Softness increases going down the group.
They have a low density.
Lithium, sodium and potassium float on water.
They have low melting and boiling points.
These properties mean that the alkali metals are different to
typical metals. However, alkali metals do also share some
properties with typical metals:
They are good conductors of
heat and electricity.
They are shiny. This is only seen
when alkali metals are freshly cut.

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What is the trend in density?
The alkali metals generally become more dense going down
the group, but the trend is not perfect because potassium is
less dense than sodium.

Element Density (g/dm3)

lithium 0.53
sodium 0.97
potassium 0.86
rubidium 1.53
caesium 1.87

Water has a density of 1 g/dm3.

Which elements in group 1 will float on water?

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What are the trends in density?

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What is the trend in melting and boiling point?

The melting points and boiling points of alkali metals

decrease going down the group.
Element Melting point (C) Boiling point (C)
lithium 181 1342
sodium 98 883
potassium 64 760
rubidium 39 686
caesium 28 671
The melting and boiling points decrease going down group 1
because the atoms get larger. In each metallic structure, the
attraction between the positive metal ions and the delocalized
sea of electrons gets weaker and so they become easier to
melt, and to boil.
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What are the trends in melting point?

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What are the trends in boiling point?

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Properties of alkali metals quiz

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How do the alkali metals react with oxygen?

All alkali metals react with oxygen in the

air to form metal oxides. This produces
a layer of dull oxide on the surface of the
metal, called tarnish.
The speed with which alkali metals react
with oxygen in the air increases going
down the group:
lithium tarnishes slowly
sodium tarnishes quickly
potassium tarnishes very quickly.
Why are alkali metals stored in oil?
The oil prevents them from reacting with
oxygen and tarnishing.
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What is the equation for the reaction with oxygen?

The reaction between an alkali metal and oxygen is an

example of an oxidation reaction:
alkali metal + oxygen alkali metal oxide

The word and chemical equations for the reaction between

lithium and oxygen are:
lithium + oxygen lithium oxide
4Li (s) + O2 (g) 2Li2O (s)
What are the word and chemical equations for the reaction
that causes sodium to tarnish?
sodium + oxygen sodium oxide
4Na (s) + O2 (g) 2Na2O (s)
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How do the alkali metals react with water?

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What does the reaction with water produce?

All the alkali metals react vigorously with water.

The reaction with water becomes more vigorous as you go
down the group.
It is an exothermic reaction as it releases a lot of heat.
The reaction produces a gas that ignites a lighted splint with
a squeaky pop. What is this gas?

When green universal indicator

is added to the reaction mixture,
it turns purple.
What does this tell you about
the products of this reaction?

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What is the equation for the reaction with water?

This reaction creates alkaline hydroxide ions.

This is why the group 1 elements are called the alkali metals.

The general equation for the reaction between an alkali

metal reacting with water is:

alkali metal + water alkali metal + hydrogen

hydroxide

2M(s) + 2H2O(l) 2MOH (aq) + H2(g)

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How does lithium react with water?
Lithium is the least reactive of
the alkali metals.
When added to water, it fizzes
and moves around slowly
across the surface of the water.

What is the equation for

this reaction?

lithium + water lithium + hydrogen

hydroxide
2Li (s) + 2H2O (l) 2LiOH (aq) + H2 (g)

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How does sodium react with water?
When added to water, sodium fizzes more than lithium, and
moves quickly across the surface of the water.
The sodium melts as it
reacts, and it becomes
spherical and shiny, like
a ball bearing.
The hydrogen sometimes
catches fire because of
the heat from the reaction.
What is the equation for this reaction?
sodium + water sodium + hydrogen
hydroxide
2Na (s) + 2H2O (l) 2NaOH (aq) + H2 (g)

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How does potassium react with water?
When added to water, the
potassium moves across the
surface of the water very quickly.
The reaction produces so much
heat that the hydrogen given off
catches alight.
What colour would the flame be?
Like sodium, it melts with the heat of the reaction.
What is the equation for this reaction?
potassium + water potassium + hydrogen
hydroxide
2K (s) + 2H2O (l) 2KOH (aq) + H2 (g)

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How do alkali metals react with water?
Which of the alkali metals will react most strongly with water?

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 How does electron structure affect reactivity?

The reactivity of alkali metals increases going down the

group. What is the reason for this?
The atoms of each element get larger
Li going down the group.
increase in reactivity

This means that the outer shell electron

gets further away from the nucleus and
Na is shielded by more electron shells.
The further an electron is from the
positive nucleus, the easier it can be
lost in reactions.
K This is why the reactivity of the alkali
metals increases going down group 1.

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What is the order of reactivity?

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How do alkali metals react with chlorine?
Alkali metals burst into flames when heated and added to
chlorine. They form metal chlorides.
alkali metal + chlorine alkali metal chloride
The word and chemical equations for the reaction between
lithium and chlorine are:
lithium + chlorine lithium chloride

2Li (s) + Cl2 (g) 2LiCl (s)

What are the word and chemical equations for the reaction
that produces sodium chloride?
sodium + chlorine sodium chloride

2Na (s) + Cl2 (g) 2NaCl (s)

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True or false?

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What are the uses of alkali metals?
How many uses of alkali metals can you see below?

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What are the uses of alkali metals?

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What are the uses of alkali metals?

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 Glossary
alkali metal An element that belongs to group 1 of the
periodic table.
exothermic A reaction that releases heat into its
surroundings.
metal chloride The type of solid produced when an
alkali metal is burned in chlorine gas.
metal hydroxide The type of alkali produced by the
reaction between an alkali metal and water.
metal oxide The type of solid produced when an alkali
metal reacts with oxygen.
oxidation The process by which a substance reacts and
combines with oxygen.
tarnish The discolouration of metal after exposure to air
caused by the formation of an oxide on the metals surface.

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Anagrams

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Completing alkali metal equations

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Comparing reactivity with water

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Multiple-choice quiz

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